Skip to main content

Bass Crash Course: 3 Ways to Rig a Senko-Style Lure to Catch Bass

Simple and versatile, soft-plastic stick baits are bass magnets. Start with these rigs.

Little-known fact: Senko-style lures were fashioned after the profile of an ink pen. But that’s probably not why the soft-plastic stick bait is so effective at catching bass.

Actually, it’s a bit difficult to pin down just what makes the popular lure style such a bass magnet, no matter how an angler rigs it.

"I still don't know what a Senko imitates," Crash Course video host Shane Beilue says in "3 Ways to Rig a Senko," "But the fact is it catches bass."

The soft stick bait offers simplicity and versatility in a bass lure, lending itself to effective rigging.

In the Crash Course video, Beilue gives an overview of three effective rigs for Senko-style bass lures: Texas, Wacky and Neko.

Texas rigs, with a slip sinker and worm hook (3/0 or 4/0 are good choices), can be fished shallow or deep, and its weedless design makes it effective around bass-populated heavy cover.

Wacky and Neko rigs, with the hook situated at the midpoint of the soft-plastic lure, are similar in their lift-and-drop presentations, but differ in their best applications.

Wacky rigs work well in shallow water, less than five feet, especially around rocks and stickups. The lure slowly falls with each end quivering during the decent.

Neko rigs, with a nail weight in one end, falls nose down and is effective for finesse presentations along the bottom. The deeper the nail weight, the deeper it can be fished.


Bites are typically subtle with wacky and Neko rigs.

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Hunting

Work and Play: Merriam's Turkeys in Wyoming

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Gear

Winchester Waterfowl Loads

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Gear

Winchester .400 Legend

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Guns

Browning A5 in the Long Anticipated 20 gauge

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Guns

Streamlight SpeedLocker

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Gear

Winchester AA Shotshells

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Gear

Streamlight TLR-7X

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Guns

White Flyer Eco Flyer

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Gear

Leupold Mark 4HD Riflescopes

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Guns

First Look: Savage Arms 110 KLYM

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Gear

First Look: Savage Arms Impulse KLYM

The Team is back and ready for action at Kudzu, looking to make the most of an early December rut. Turns out, running la...
Hunting

Ground Level Bucks at Kudzu Bluff

Game & Fish Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Game & Fish App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now